1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices used to propel balls, and more particularly, to a pitching machine that can make dynamic pitch changes in real-time and that significantly reduces deterioration typically suffered by the balls used in such machines.
2. Description of Related Art
Pitching machines are well known in the prior art. Pitching machines have long been used for propelling, or throwing spherical balls, such as baseballs, softballs, and tennis balls for example, or oval balls such as a football. Primarily pitching machines are used for throwing baseballs and softballs during activities such as batting practice, where the pitching machine is used to simulate a human pitcher. Modern pitching machines can effectively throw most pitch types thrown by today""s pitchers including fastballs, curveballs, sliders, knuckle-balls, and change-ups.
However, known pitching machines require setup for each type of pitch thrown, and must be reset for each different pitch type desired to be thrown to the batter. For instance, if it is desired to throw fastballs to a batter, the pitching machine is setup to throw fastballs. When it is desired to throw another type of pitch to the batter, such as curveballs, the machine is stopped and then re-sets for throwing balls of the new pitch type.
Another disadvantage of known pitching machines is that there is a substantial time delay between throwing different type pitches, due to the time required for resetting the machine. A more important disadvantage, is that the batter knows exactly what type of pitch is being thrown and can adjust their swing and stance for the anticipated speed and location of the pitch. In a game situation, the batter must be prepared for any type of pitch that may be thrown by the pitcher. Thus, pitching machine capable of consecutively throwing different type pitches, without requiring re-setup for the different type pitches to effectively simulate a game situation, would be advantageous over the prior art.
Known pitching machines include a pitching assembly that is supported by a base that may be a tripod or other suitable configuration. The pitching assembly may be coupled to the base such that the pitching assembly may pivot, or swivel, about on the base.
The pitching assembly typically includes a motor that may drive at least one ball throwing wheel. In a first common embodiment, one ball throwing wheel is provided for propelling, or throwing, balls. A fixed pad may be positioned adjacent to a confronting surface of the wheel to form a constricting space therebetween. A ball infeed chute may be coupled to the pad and is positioned to deliver the ball into the constricting space. The motor rotates the wheel at a desired speed to propel, or throw, the ball therefrom at a selected velocity. When a ball is placed in the infeed chute, the ball is momentarily seized between the pad and rotating wheel. The confronting surface of the rotating wheel instantly draws the ball across the pad and propels the ball in a desired direction and at the selected velocity. The line on which the ball is propelled between the pad and wheel is adjustable about a horizontal axis and the speed of the wheel is variable to adjust the trajectory of the thrown ball. Thus, the pitching assembly can be adjusted for throwing balls higher or lower and closer to, or farther from, a desired object such as a batter.
In another common embodiment, the pitching assembly includes a pair of throwing wheels spaced a distance apart and mounted on a base for axial rotation in a common plane. The space between the confronting surface of the wheels is less than the diameter of a ball to be thrown. A first wheel is rotated in a first direction, such as clockwise and a second wheel is rotated in an opposing direction, such as counterclockwise. The ball infeed chute is mounted for rotational adjustment about the ball projecting line between the spaced wheels for rotational adjustment about the ball projecting line between the spaced wheels. This maintains the infeed chute in a gravity feeding position irrespective of the angular disposition of the common plane of the ball projecting wheels. When a ball is placed in the infeed chute, the ball is momentarily seized between the two rotating wheels and thrown in the desired direction.
Electrical controls are provided for controlling the rotational speeds of the two coacting wheels. The controls may be adjusted to enable the pitching assembly to throw different types of pitches. The controls may comprise potentiometers, or other known means, to independently vary the rotational speed of each wheel. Rotating each wheel at a different speed causes balls thrown thereby to have curvilinear trajectories. A variety of different ball throwing wheels have been tried.
A disadvantage of known pitching assemblies, and in particular, their ball throwing wheels is that they are somewhat destructive to baseballs used in the machines. Since the balls are abruptly seized by the confronting surfaces of the ball throwing wheels or the fixed pad, the balls tend to be abraded during use. Thus, the life span of baseballs used by prior art pitching machines may be substantially reduced. Furthermore, the delivery of a ball to the strike zone from a standard pitching distance can vary by more than 4 to 10 inches from one pitch to the next. There are a number of possible sources of inaccuracy. For example, a slight out of balance on one wheel, a variation in hardness between the wheels, and the alignment of the stitches on the ball when the ball contacts the wheel, are some of the possible sources of error inherent in the design of pitching wheel machines.
Thus, there exists a need for a pitching machine that is capable of accurately consecutively throwing different type pitches, without requiring manual resetting of the machine between different pitch types, that can switch pitch types relatively quickly, and that does not significantly reduce the life span of baseballs used in the machine.
The present invention comprises an improved device for propelling, or throwing balls in a desired trajectory and at a selected velocity, commonly known as a pitching machine. The pitching machine of the present invention is capable of consecutively propelling, or throwing balls, each ball having a different predetermined trajectory, rotation, and velocity that characterize a desired kind of pitch, without resetting the machine. The pitching machine is capable of consecutively, and in any desired order, throwing several balls having different known pitch types including fastballs, curveballs, sliders, knuckle-balls, and change-ups, without resetting the machine and without unnecessary time delay therebetween.
The pitching machine may be capable of simulating a pitch sequence, a number of balls thrown with each ball potentially having a different pitch type (different trajectory, rotation, and velocity), as if thrown by a human pitcher during an at-bat in a game situation. During an at-bat in a game, a batter does not know what type of pitch is being thrown and cannot pre-adjust their swing and stance for an anticipated speed, trajectory, and location of the pitch. Since the invented pitching machine is capable of consecutively throwing balls of different pitch types, without requiring resetting therebetween, the invented machine may be capable of more effectively training batters, as compared to prior art pitching machines.
The pitching machine of the present invention comprises a pitching assembly that may be pivotably coupled to a base. The base may be a tripod, or other appropriate configuration that supports the pitching assembly a desired distance above the ground.
The pitching assembly includes a ball throwing assembly coupled to a support plate. The ball throwing assembly may comprise a pair of belt assemblies that are vertically spaced and extend generally horizontally along the support plate and are coupled thereto. Each belt assembly may comprise a front pulley and a rear pulley and a belt that extends around both pulleys and generally horizontally along the plate. Each belt assembly may additionally include a motor that may drive, or rotate, at least one pulley at a desired speed for rotating the belt coupled to the pulley. Thus, a pair of vertically spaced belts that rotate generally horizontally along the support plate for propelling or throwing balls are provided by the invented ball throwing assembly. The use of two roughly parallel belts allows may reduce the number of potential sources of inaccuracy, compared to other kinds of pitching machine designs.
A ball infeed chute is positioned adjacent to the rear pulleys of the belt assemblies. The infeed chute has an outlet positioned to dispose balls info the space between the two rotating belts. When a ball is placed in the infeed chute, the ball falls through the outlet of the chute and is seized between the two rotating belts. The ball is rapidly conveyed by the rotating belts toward the front pulleys. Once the ball reaches the front pulleys, the ball is propelled, or thrown in a predetermined direction and at a selected velocity.
Conveyance of the ball by the belts, as opposed to momentarily seizing the ball between two rotating wheels or between a rotating wheel and a fixed pad, may reduce wear on balls used by the invented machine and increase the life span of the balls. Additionally, since balls are conveyed by the belts for a brief time period, as opposed to being momentarily seized between two wheels, the balls may be more accurately thrown toward a desired target. The rotational speed of the two spaced belts may be independently adjusted for imparting a desired rotation on balls. As the baseballs are conveyed for a brief time by the two rotating belts, it may also be possible to accelerate the baseball over the period of time, during which the baseball is between the rotating belts.
The support plate may be rotated around three axis, x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. The x-axis runs horizontally along a path roughly parallel to the long axis of the belts and between the belts. Rotation around the x-axis (roll) allows the angle of the spin imparted to the ball to be varied. The y-axis is vertical and rotation around the y axis (yaw) allows left and right horizontal adjustment in the direction the ball is propelled. The z-axis is horizontal, but perpendicular to the x-axis. Rotation around the z-axis allows adjustment to the vertical inclination of the trajectory of the ball. Thus, the pitching machine of the present invention may be capable of throwing balls having different predetermined selected trajectories, velocities, and rotational velocities.
A control system may be provided for selecting a predetermined pitch type for each ball to be thrown by the invented pitching machine. The control system may be capable of either increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of either belt or both belts simultaneously. The control system may further be capable of rotating the support plate around the x-axis and rotating the plate around the y-axis. Thus, the control system may be used to select a desired rotational speed of each belt and horizontal position, vertical inclination, and roll position, of the throwing assembly, to enable the invented pitching machine to throw a ball of a predetermined pitch type. The control system may by activated between each ball thrown, so that each consecutive ball thrown may have a different predetermined trajectory, rotation, and velocity, and thus pitch type, without resetting the machine. Therefore, the pitching machine of the present invention is capable of consecutively throwing balls of different pitch types, which may more effectively train batters. The control system may by operated by remote control or it may by programmed to throw a predetermined series of pitches.